Risks for Lower-Back Pain
People at risk for lower-back pain include those who are in poor physical condition or who do work that includes heavy labor or long periods of sitting or standing. These people are also likely to recover more slowly when they do have back pain. In addition, emotional stress or long periods of inactivity can make back pain seem worse.
On the average, 1 in 15 adults will develop lower-back pain for the first time in any given year. In two-thirds of the cases, these new symptoms do not seriously interfere with daily life. However, about 5% of new back pain is long lasting or even disabling. Some factors that increase the risk for back pain cannot be controlled. These include the following:
- greater than average height
- for women, 2 or more births
Other factors that are only partially under your control include the following:
- long commuting or driving time
- job-related driving time
- job-required lifting
- stress factors of daily life
Factors that can be completely controlled include the following:
- no regular program of moderate exercise or a preference for high-intensity exercise
- no regular stretching exercises for joint flexibility
- stress symptoms for which you could seek help
